Former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski presents Pope Leo with 2005 World Series ball
When in Rome ...
That's where former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski is, and while he's there, he presented Chicago native and avowed Sox fan Pope Leo XIV with the last-out ball from Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, in which the Sox swept the Astros.
Pierzynski, now a co-host of the daily baseball show "Foul Territory" and a Fox Sports analyst, caught the last out of the game on a strikeout by Bobby Jenks.
An incredible honor to meet @Pontifex and give him the ball that was the last out in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. @whitesox pic.twitter.com/81aT5UTOSs
— A.J. Pierzynski (@ajpierzynski12) June 25, 2026
“7 year old me, at my First Communion, would have never thought that I would get to meet The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV,” Pierzynski wrote on Instagram. “I was honored to give him the last out ball from Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, the game he attended.”
Pope Leo was known as Robert Prevost or Father Bob when he went to the World Series opener 21 years ago, a 5-3 White Sox victory.
Contributing: Associated Press
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